As promised, I am going to give the links to audios that Dr Craig has done on the Book of Revelation in her ongoing series, Apocalypse.

Dr Craig uses for her research Days Of Vengeance by David Chilton. She does not support everything he teaches. But she does use his Historical View which is one of several that one may believe concerning this End Times. She also teaches that the Book of The Revelation Of Jesus Christ is laid out as a Suzerain Document.

Her teaching is that like Deuteronomy is laid out in terms of a Suzerain Treaty so also is Revelation.

Now I wish to state that a reading of Flavius Josephus and The Wars of the Jews you will therein find some very chilling descriptions of the madness that ensued as after their rejection of Jesus as Messiah they became rebellious and the city fell and the Temple was burned down.

It is my premise that this very type of madness is and has been slowly rising around us for the last 10 or so years, in this nation most especially since the 9-11 incident took place. If then God so did to Jerusalem in the beginning of Christendom when the Branch was young and green and tender what then will be the outcome of the Tree as she is felled for lack of repentance? We in this nation as a Body of Christ have entwined ourselves a little to thoroughly with the culture of the secular world around us. We have begun to forget the God who begat us in His Son. Some more than others have gone out from among us to show that they were never of us and have led many astray. God who did not spare the angel in their rebellion and His Holy Nation in their rejection shall now spare His own dear flesh in her Adultery? May it never be! For then He shall not be Holy True Just and worthy of anything but for dung. But He is True Holy Just and Good to all in some ways and some in all ways. He shall as Judge of the whole Earth do right by His glorious name and be absolutely true to Himself, as we are now seeing.

Go and read the free PDF of Days of Vengeance for yourselves and see how much of the Scripture is fulfilled in that very tempestuous time back then and then see the missing pieces as they should be placed and understand the meaning of the Blessing and the Curse in Deut 28. Very likely men’s hearts will fail them for fear as they go mad by that which they see.

Below is the listing of her teachings on this book and more of her teaching can be found at mcmtffr.org

Rev 1:4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from him who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits that are before his throne; Rev 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood; Rev 1:6 and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Please note the order of who is blessing with Grace and Peace. The one who is, who was, and who is to come… We have always associated that with Jesus or at least I have always associated that with Jesus but then why does the next verse list Jesus by NAME?

That first person is The Father! So then it is the Father and the next person is the Holy Spirit, in His represented form as the Seven Spirits before the Throne. In Isaiah 11 we find this: Isa 11:2 And the Spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah.

If you look at the list you plainly see the Seven Spirits or what is also called the Seven Fold anointing that is upon Jesus who is the afore-mentioned shoot.

I would also like to introduce the Study Called Apocalypse by Dr Mary Craig on audio and will be embedding or linking to these audios shortly.

Rev 21:4 and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away.

First off to my readers, apologies for leaving this very important part out of the original posts.

Now this for us in light of the current events around the world and as of the time this blog is being produced in November 2014, in the USA there is a health insurance debacle that will in all likelihood cost most Americans their employment and jobs may become impossible to get as business place hiring freezes into effect. There may even be worse backlash than this over new policies and speeches our President has effected. On the global scene in the Mediterranean we have an Islamic Fundamentalist movement called ISIS or ISIL or it may even have new name by the time you read this. This group will ask you to either become Muslim or die. They are not nice about it and they torture as they kill. They are spreading and may even be in the USA as I type. They are butchering Christians right and left. In other places that are still Communist Christians suffer in abject impoverishment and disease and torture and imprisonment because they will not turn to deny this King of Kings. We who suffer at any level for the sake of the Gospel …. suffer. We await the coming King to release us from this prison of ungodliness. And He will come.

So then in light of all I have written above and, believe me, that is just a little bit of all the manifold things that are being foisted upon His people at this hour, I add this new post to remind us all that He is our joy and comfort both to come and even here and now.

In His compassion upon His own for whom He died, Christ sends and gives comfort.

The Comfort to come

Rev 21:4 and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away.
Isaiah 25: 6-9

6 The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for ball peoples on this mountain; A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, And 4refined, aged wine. 7 And on this mountain He will swallow up the 1acovering which is over all peoples, Even the veil which is stretched over all nations. 8 He will aswallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the creproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken. 9 And it will be said in that day,“Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited;Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

This portion of verse 8 in Isaiah is the connection to Revelation 21:4. Moreover there is the banquette.

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb is the celebration of the consummated union of the Head (Jesus) with the Body, (the Believers); the Bridegroom, (Jesus) with the Bride (the Believers); the Vine (Jesus) with the Righteous Branch… Now here is where things get a little tricky for the Righteous Branch of Isaiah IS Jesus, He starts as the shoot out the Jesse and in His fulfilled Sacrifice and the culmination of the One Righteous Act or the Perpetually Perfectly Personally Obedient life lived under the Law unto the Father as completely pleasing in all things to the Father, Jesus becomes the fully grown VINE. (At least this is my understanding of it) In John 15 He tells us that He is the VINE and we are the BRANCHES. But the apostolic writings tell us that we are One Body. Therefore we the branches are actually considered as the ONE RIGHTEOUS BRANCH, just as is Jesus, which is fitting for His RIGHTEOUSNESS is OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Eph 2:8 For by grace you are saved, through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; Eph 2:9 not of works, that not anyone should boast;

So then the banquette is part of the comfort and the reward to the Bride who made herself ready. And how did she do this?

Php 2:12 So, then, my beloved, even as you always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much rather in my absence, cultivate your salvation with fear and trembling, Php 2:13 for it is God who is working in you both to will and to work for the sake of His good pleasure.

This then is the Marriage Supper as it is referred to in Revelation.

Rev 19:7 Let us rejoice and let us exult, and we will give glory to Him, because the marriage of the Lamb came, and His wife prepared herself. Rev 19:8 And it was given to her that she be clothed in fine linen, pure and bright; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. Rev 19:9 And he says to me, Write: Blessed are the ones having been called to the supper of the marriage of the Lamb. And he says to me, These Words of God are true.

This again is the Supper as referred to in Isaiah

Isaiah 25: 6-9

6 The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for ball peoples on this mountain;A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow,And 4refined, aged wine.7 And on this mountain He will swallow up the 1acovering which is over all peoples,Even the veil which is stretched over all nations.8 He will aswallow up death for all time,And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces,And He will remove the creproach of His people from all the earth;For the LORD has spoken.9 And it will be said in that day,“Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited;Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

Notice where those tears are wiped away. For she comes in her pain and her sorrows and the deep shame that she never quite measured up but also in the intense gratitude for that He even ever deigned to show the kindness of Redemption at all. For she (The Bride) has been humbled. So them for all of you who suffer now for His name sake, take comfort in this, that you are among the BLESSED who have the invitation to attend the banquette of all the ages as and honored guest of the King of Glory.

His Comfort NOW

Joh 14:16 And I will petition the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may remain with you to the age, Joh 14:17 the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him nor know Him. But you know Him, for He abides with you and shall be in you.

Joh 14:25 I have spoken these things to you, abiding with you; Joh 14:26 but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and shall remind you of all things that I said to you. Joh 14:27 I leave peace to you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be timid.

While we are “going through” all these trials which work patience perfect work in us that we become complete lacking nothing in ourselves with all these “light afflictions” (this is what God calls them) we have God, even Christ in us the hope of glory who is also He who gives us joy and comfort so that we might “count it all joy” when we “go through” what life seems to offer. There is also a great assurance in the knowledge that He is with us every day and thorough every thing we encounter and He sees and knows what is done to us and seeks to see and hear the right response of thanksgiving and praise in all we go through in our lives.

Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These words are faithful and true: and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angels to show unto his servants the things which must shortly come to pass.

Rev 22:7 And behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book.

To keep these words, to keep them within Holy Writ is one aspect and to obey them is another. In the letters to the churches there is much said about spiritual conditions and what He expects of His own. It is also keeping to read this book and to pray about its content regularly especially in light of things as they are today.

Rev 22:8 And I John am he that heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel that showed me these things.

Rev 22:9 And he saith unto me, See thou do it not: I am a fellow-servant with thee and with thy brethren the prophets, and with them that keep the words of this book: worship God.

Rev 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand.

Rev 22:11 He that is unrighteous, let him do unrighteousness still: and he that is filthy, let him be made filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him do righteousness still: and he that is holy, let him be made holy still.

In Daniel we read at the end of it these words.

Dan 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Now we read that John is NOT to seal this book. We have through this study seen the intertwining of both Daniel and Revelation. We also know that time is different between us and God.

2Pe 3:8 But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

He may perhaps come on the Third Day but for us from the time of His ascension it would pass as at least three thousand years. In this time the growth of souls added to the church has been great but here at the twenty first century the great falling away has been in some swing for some time. For indeed you cannot love the “world system” and love the LAMB. They are incompatible.

Rev 22:12 Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to render to each man according as his work is.

This statement is the benchmark of God’s thought. In the Old and New Testaments He says this.

Isa 59:18 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, wrath to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompense.

Jer 25:14 For many nations and great kings shall make bondmen of them, even of them; and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the work of their hands.

In the New Testament He says:

Rom 2:6 who will render to every man according to his works:

Rom 2:7 to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life:

Rom 2:8 but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be wrath and indignation,

Rom 2:9 tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek;

Rom 2:10 but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek:

Rom 2:11 for there is no respect of persons with God.

In light of this statement we all ought to be considering our ways and whether or not we have put Christ and His Kingdom and righteousness first and lived in accordance with His will or not. Now is the hour to make things right.

Rev 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.

This washing of the robes is not only in martyrdom but in the Blood of Jesus in salvation and obedience to His will and trusting for the end redemption of the body and the life.

Rev 22:15 Without are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one that loveth and maketh a lie.

Notice that the presence of sin has not left. But we are in the city and they are not and are not allowed. Now I have no answer for this. However we see that He removes us from the dominion of sin and removes from us the ravages and stains of sins, in our hearts and minds that have been renewed by the washing of water with the Word and finally our bodies are redeemed and we are removed from the presence of sin entirely. But without that place where God chooses to have a sinless environ, sin remains, or so it would seem.

Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright, the morning star.

All through this book we have seen the various aspects of Who Jesus is. This is a direct correlation to Isaiah. Isa 11:10 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the root of Jesse, that standeth for an ensign of the peoples, unto him shall the nations seek; and his resting-place shall be glorious.

Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take the water of life freely.

Rev 22:18 I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book:

Rev 22:19 and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book.

This is a warning to the scribes. In this time letters like these were copied over and over again and this solemn warning ensures the entirety of the document and its contents. But in keeping to this, I am doing my best to cover the whole book in these blogs. I would recommend others that take on this book observe to do so as well.

Now I had decided it best to finish in this manner by wrapping around from the closing of the book back to its opening. Because we see Jesus and who He is in both parts.

Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show unto his servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass: and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John;

Rev 1:2 who bare witness of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, even of all things that he saw.

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Here again is the blessing conferred to those who read and keep what is written as in keeping in mind that this is the last chapter and the culmination of how we come into our inheritance. In the Gospels so much was said about the inheritance of the Kingdom and we who serve being good servants that we might enter into the Joy of our LORD. In writing that the time was “at hand” many over the years have considered that the events would take place in a very short few years. Unfortunately we have missed the point that it is from God’s perspective and not ours that this “time is at hand”. When Christ entered into time and space as the Word made flesh the End Days countdown began. Now which is the exact moment of time where in God the Father sets the start point is not known. It is not to be known for the whole point is the attitudinal change of the heart, and the idea of consistency for the whole of the life lived on this Earth. Because we do NOT know the exact day we must stay vigilant. We do understand that like a thief in the night the time of these events will suddenly come. Right now this writer is facing financial distresses that have her quite perplexed even somewhat upset. But if I for one moment think this is bad, I must concede that the events to come are far worse than I could ever imagine and people are still alive even in the midst of all that! But we are to be found serving in obedience to whatever the Lord has us at task doing. Consider that a thief in the night is not announcing or calling ahead but is sneaking in subtly and quietly with no fanfare. So then vigilance to watch in the dark is needed if one suspects a thief may come. Moreover as I have mentioned earlier what is but one day to God is one thousand years to us. So for God shortly is just that… shortly, but for us the generations drag on by. We lose sight of it and should long for the day of our inheritance to come. This is the blessing of reading this book. It reminds us that He will come again and He will remember us and the PROMISE of the Glorification of the body and resurrection of the dead will come. The blessing is the strengthening of hope and the relighting of a fire to do His will while we yet live.

Rev 1:4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from him who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits that are before his throne;

Rev 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood;

Rev 1:6 and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. Even so, Amen.

Here we see evidence of the Trinity. The Seven Spirits before God are also spoken of in Isaiah by name.

Isa 11:2 And the Spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah.

Each of these is the aspect of the Holy Spirit who is apparently seen as seven spirits before God. We know that things in heaven are not the same as on Earth.

We have the mention of the Father whose priests the Son has made us to be. Also we see in this book what Paul talked about in His epistles that Jesus would come again with the clouds.

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;

1Th 4:17 then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Rev 1:8 I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

Rev 1:9 I John, your brother and partaker with you in tribulation and kingdom and patience which are in Jesus, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

Here is the story as it unfolds as to how John the Apostle acquires the vision. Note that this is the only vision that is actually accepted in the New Testament as part of the Canon of Scripture. Based on the long standing understanding of the works of the Prophets of the Old Testament this book was allowed to remain within canon to this day.

Rev 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet

Note that it came in the time of worship. John was in worship …. In the Spirit on the Day the Lord set aside for worship.

Rev 1:11 saying, What thou seest, write in a book and send it to the seven churches: unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamum, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

Rev 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And having turned I saw seven golden candlesticks;

Rev 1:13 and in the midst of the candlesticks one like unto a son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle.

Rev 1:14 And his head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

Rev 1:15 and his feet like unto burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace; and his voice as the voice of many waters.

(This is still talking about one person and that is Jesus.)

Rev 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

Rev 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as one dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last,

Rev 1:18 and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

Rev 1:19 Write therefore the things which thou sawest, and the things which are, and the things which shall come to pass hereafter;

Rev 1:20 the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks are seven churches.

This is the revelation of Jesus as He is now. In all this time He is still in this manner and we find evidence of it in Daniel. But this may not be the same person.

Dan 7:9 I beheld till thrones were placed, and one that was ancient of days did sit: his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and the wheels thereof burning fire.

Dan 7:10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

This is not Jesus but The Father. This is the great white throne judgment of the dead in sin. We found this in the twentieth chapter of Revelation.

But this is the LAMB

Dan 7:13 I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

Dan 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

I am struck by that the Ancient of Days in Daniel has the same look as the “one like unto a son of man” does in John’s revelation.

How is this possible? I am immediately drawn to Jesus and Hebrews.

When asked to see the Father what did Jesus say? Joh 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and dost thou not know me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; how sayest thou, Show us the Father?

In Hebrews of Jesus it says: Heb 1:3 who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

In this book we see the Revelation of Jesus as Lord of the Church as Lord of Lords as the King of the Kings of the Earth. He who will come and repay the evil that has been done to His own, Himself. We see the pattern through which it will take place. We see that He is control of every part of this and should in our personal lives, as this writer is struggling to do right now, that He is ultimately in control of our lives as we yield to and listen to and obey Him, He will lead us. We will live and not die.

Rev 22:1 And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,

In the Old Testament this was seen.

Ezek 47:1-12

Eze 47:1 And he brought me back unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward (for the forefront of the house was toward the east); and the waters came down from under, from the right side of the house, on the south of the altar.

Eze 47:2 Then he brought me out by the way of the gate northward, and led me round by the way without unto the outer gate, by the way of the gate that looketh toward the east; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.

Eze 47:3 When the man went forth eastward with the line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the ankles.

Eze 47:4 Again he measured a thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the loins.

Eze 47:5 Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass through; for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed through.

Eze 47:6 And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the bank of the river.

In the back of the “house” is a issue of water from the right side at its gate. The waters head east.

These waters will run through the “Arabah” to the sea. It is to “heal” the rivers and the sea… Now if perchance this is the resting place for Jerusalem the Great City…. This rivulet that deepens ever thousand Reeds or 8000 Feet give or take, has trees….. on both sides of the bank… the fruit is yielded every month the leaf is for healing… This is an irregularity for an interim Temple to the book of Revelation. Is it possible that this Temple is a layout to the Great City itself? It does talk about housing for the priests…

But our primary goal is to look at the river. In Ezekiel’s passage it talks about Trees whereas in Revelation it mentions one tree of Life. Both scenarios have leaves for healing. But how is it that this healing leaf tree with its 12 kinds of fruits each bearing in its month so to speak is found there? Moreover where is the Arabah today? According to a bible map it lists the Arabah as being the Salt Sea. So then this river of Ezekiel’s Temple flows from possibly Jerusalem to the east to the Salt Sea making it FRESH. Now that sea connects to the “sea of Chinnereth” or what looks suspiciously like the Galilee Sea of Jesus day. It connects by way of the Jordan from the Salt Sea to Galilee to a little area called lake Huleh which might have been around in Jesus day or might have been dry bed. On this map it then comes to a junction splitting five ways and all along the Jordan and after the split this waterway wends itself out eastward into the desert and westward to the Mediterranean sea. Now if this is the same river and all the text implies that it is, the need for healing of the waters both fresh and salt is because of Wormwood. It is also because the seas became blood. Also the swarms of fish and teeming life will return as the waters “heal”.

Eze 47:7 Now when I had returned, behold, upon the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.

Eze 47:8 Then said he unto me, These waters issue forth toward the eastern region, and shall go down into the Arabah; and they shall go toward the sea; into the sea shall the waters go which were made to issue forth; and the waters shall be healed.

Eze 47:9 And it shall come to pass, that every living creature which swarmeth, in every place whither the rivers come, shall live; and there shall be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters are come thither, and the waters of the sea shall be healed, and everything shall live whithersoever the river cometh.

Eze 47:10 And it shall come to pass, that fishers shall stand by it: from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim shall be a place for the spreading of nets; their fish shall be after their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.

Eze 47:11 But the miry places thereof, and the marshes thereof, shall not be healed; they shall be given up to salt.

Eze 47:12 And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow every tree for food, whose leaf shall not whither, neither shall the fruit thereof fail: it shall bring forth new fruit every month, because the waters thereof issue out of the sanctuary; and the fruit thereof shall be for food, and the leaf thereof for healing.

Rev 22:2 in the midst of the street thereof. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

When we compare the texts Ezekiel’s text seems to go into greater detail. But they talk about the same thing. A River bright and clear as crystal… Have you ever been to the Bahamas and seen the clear bright blue shoal inlet waters? This is the idea. You can see to the bottom of the river bed. It is LIVING or FLOWING water. It starts very small and gradually deepens to an un-fordable river. It is a place for catching fish of all kinds.

If this is the same River then the place in the back of the Temple where the Holy of Holies should be is where the Throne of God and of the Lamb will sit.

It might be a very interesting study to actually compare the two.

Rev 22:3 And there shall be no curse any more: and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be therein: and his servants shall serve him;

No more curse… When Adam fell the universe was condemned to be twisted as it were, because the Order was upset. Even though it was destined to be that Christ might be the recipient of all the glory and eventually lay even all that He has at The Father’s feet. Paul says this in Romans 8

Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God.

Rom 8:20 For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope

Rom 8:21 that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.

Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

Rom 8:23 And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

This groaning of Creation and our groaning or straining at bonds as it were it the curse, but He creates again and in this the curse is NO MORE.

Rev 22:4 and they shall see his face; and his name shall be on their foreheads.

Rev 22:5 And there shall be night no more; and they need no light of lamp, neither light of sun; for the Lord God shall give them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

This is the sketched out edges of the portrait painted in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. This is how we will spend eternity, and notice that there is a mark on the forehead. The reason the enemy wants his mark on our foreheads is because then God wont place His mark on us, for we are His possession. When He said He is the Light of the World, He may have spoken, in our understanding, as “spiritual” but He truly meant it because, He is the Source of Light to Illumine everything for us all. This shows us an aspect of the scope of His power.

Rev 21:8 But for the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part shall be in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.

Rev 21:9 And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were laden with the seven last plagues; and he spake with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb.

Now when we think of a wife a bride what do we really think of? Do we think of a lovely visage in a sparkling white veiled and trained gown? What else is there about the wife the bride? She is a help meet a companion someone who completes the man who stands with him, carries his name and posterity in the womb, and allows the name to pass to the next generation. She belongs with him and makes him look good. Some consider a good couple to be like peas in a pod, like the salt and pepper shakers and a matched set. In this wise the city and the one who it is built for go together. Likewise the church is seen as the Bride of Christ. Yet Revelation is clear when the angel says I will show you the bride the wife of the Lamb. As He inhabits the city so then is that the MARRIAGE of the The LAMB. Yet the city and the church seem to be part and parcel of one another. Us He redeems from among the heathen nations, the great city four square, was built for Him. It is its own TEMPLE.

Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,

Rev 21:11 having the glory of God: her light was like unto a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal:

Rev 21:12 having a wall great and high; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

Rev 21:13 on the east were three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Ok there is a series of images right here. There are twelve gates and each gate was named to a tribe of Israel. Each gate is a pearl. It has walls and being as massive as the measurement state it will need serious foundations. In fact there are twelve of them. We have heard of the tribes and the foundational teachings of the Apostles and the Prophets. Each foundation is a stone or a color. Each foundational color has its own meaning to God. It would be an interesting study to see if Scripture has any light to shed on that meaning. This city has an effulgence of light clear as a crystal looking like a “most precious” jasper stone. Some say this particular stone may be a diamond. We know this stone’s name was mentioned in the beginning and in chapter five. It was mentioned in connection with He who sits on the Throne. If it is a diamond that will explain the refractive colors of the diamond’s prismatic effect when light is around or through it. This may explain the color around the Throne.

The gates being pearls is sort of like the string of pearls that one might wear. Israel is said to be a POSSESSION of God. In the Song of Solomon, the chorus talks about adorning the “bride” and here the angel calls the City, Jesus bride. So then it is not surprising that Earthly adornments are either represented or actually used in their heavenly counterparts. We do know that in Exodus when Moses was on the mountain receiving the pattern for the Tabernacle it was to be built of specific Earthly material according to the HEAVENLY PATTERN.

Rev 21:15 And he that spake with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

Rev 21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length thereof is as great as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs: the length and the breadth and the height thereof are equal.

According to conversion tables there are eight furlongs to the mile. So then the math gives me 1500 miles square. That is a huge footprint for a city. The wall measurement is apparently it’s height, which in conversion from roman cubit to foot, is 64 ft 1 9/64 inches. This is a massive thing, so twelve foundations is not unreasonable.

Rev 21:17 And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.

Rev 21:18 And the building of the wall thereof was jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto pure glass.

Rev 21:19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald;

Rev 21:20 the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst.

If the jasper is considered to be diamond, then we are looking at the One who sits on the Throne. The second layer down is sapphire which is usually blue which represents the Throne itself, as it is said in scripture to be, Lapis Lazul or blue. This then speaks of the Suzerain authority of Him who sits on the Throne. Chalcedony is a quartz it can be reddish, white or bluish. Both the reddish and bluish speak to the blood and the throne and the white refers to purity. This stone may well represent the nature of God. Quartz is a transmissible stone, it can be used for radio signals. When I was a little girl my father got me a quartz crystal radio with coils and the quartz and you had a tuner knob and I made it and found actual stations. This then may also be indicative of the transmissible qualities of God, those that are not immutable. Then there is the Emerald. Again this stone which is usually associated with green but can also be red blue pink or yellow. However the classical gem is some shade or hue of green which represents growth and living things, like plants; or Zoe Life. For He came to give us LIFE and that more abundantly. The next layer down is sardonyx which is oddly enough sort of a compound representation. The onyx of sardonyx is black, which represents sin. Then there is the sard aspect of sardonyx which is a reddish color which of course is the BLOOD. This stone is banded with the black and red and perhaps white as well which represents purity. Taken together this stone is its own gospel in a rock. Sin atoned for in His blood leaves us pure. The next layer down is Sardius which is a blood red stone. It is interesting that the compound sardonyx is sandwiched between the Emerald of Everlasting Life and the Sardius of the Blood of Jesus. The next down is chrysolite which is a stone type which include Topaz, which this is not. It runs from a green to a yellow color. It is usually greenish yellow. Yellow or gold is the immutable substance impervious to time and most chemicals and speaks of the immutable nature of He who sits on the Throne. But in this gem quality stone the blended yellow green show us the Glory of God who is Life Eternal. The next layer down is the Beryl, classically in ancient times it was considered in the name given it for the pale blue green color not unlike seawater. Now that is interesting because sea water is naturally salted water. It reminds us of the Scripture and the Law and the WORD. We are renewed in our minds as we are washed with WATER and THE WORD. It is also indicative of the Holy Spirit who is figured as the WATER THAT WASHES. Next layer down is the Topaz. Topaz is a crysolite stone but in that it is that name means is has specific qualities and as in all these foundations we want to look at the classical presentation. Now while topaz can present in colors from wine to yellow red blue and pale to clear the precious Topaz is orange. The image is unmistakable. Whereas the previous Beryl indicated the Holy Spirit as WATER to renew the mind this stone represents the Holy Spirit as the Flame of YAH. This is the aspect of the cleansing fire of the Holy Spirit to remove the words of Belial from the soul and to purify the soul and burn out the cares of the world which choke out the WORD. The next level of foundation is the Chrysoprase which comes in a layered bluish green with nickel in it. It is both the colors of life and water and may well represent human life which is born in “waters”. It also tells us that God is in the midst. The next to last layer down is the Jacinth stone. It is red to bluish to purple and it is transparent. Most of the rest of these stones are not particularly transparent but this one is. It may well represent the human soul as it were. It shows us as Redeemed in the Blood of Jesus, washed in the Water of the Holy Spirit and Made Royal in priesthood unto God. The bottom layer is Amethyst. It only ever comes in one color, Purple. Purple is the royal sovereignty of Jesus in His Humanity as King and in His Divinity as God. Because before all things were… He is.

Rev 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the several gates was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

Hence we find Aspects of God as Father Son and Holy Spirit in the Apostolic foundations of the city, but what of its gates? In Nehemiah where Jerusalem’s walls were broken down and the GATES destroyed by fire, which was important as Gates determined what came in and what went out. They were also the place where civil matters and politics were conducted and where the prophets preached. We have seen the meaning of the various stones as far as I was able to determine them, and I will admit there are greater scholars than myself who could add volumes. The City walls are one thing but all the gates are alike. All the gates are pearls. Pearls are interesting things. They are NOT made of the Earth and they are not mineral unless you want to count the rock that is in the center. Pearls are organic and occur when a little sand (the rock in the middle) enters and lodges in an oyster and does not come out in the water. SO the oyster thus irritated begins to secrete a substance to coat the irritant and over time it goes from a tiny sand grain to this nice size orb which depending on many factors can become quite priceless. Because these orbs possess a toughness to them where in they can be drilled and strung, or merely set in metallic settings, they are considered jewelry as are their neighbors the gemstones. Israel is considered of God to be His possession as I have mentioned before and thus maybe even considered to be like a string of pearls to God. They came from a promise to one man to sire a lineage that would become a Nation among the nations of the planet and a people most often an irritant to God. Consider what God did to these people to cause them to be what they were when His Son came among them. He had established a means of appropriate expression of worship to Himself, and LAW to govern them according to His dictates but from them He “suffered much”. He allowed them to have kings which led the people quite often contrary to the LAW He gave them and away from His heart. Surely like the stone this one race chosen to be God’s own possession has had much glossing over with LAW and Judgment until they were ready to receive the Son whose work on them was the greatest of all. For who but God would have cared enough to permit Himself to be crucified and then raise up to prove His identity to a people who wanted the death of not only The Son but any who had associated with The Son and even today those of Judaism who “convert” are persecuted relentlessly. In this light I see the tribes themselves like so many irritants that the coatings of Law and Redemption makes beautified in Salvation. Each pearl has a name on it, and one has to wonder of the anmes themselves and what they might say about The LAMB.

Gad – a troop comes (Strongs does not give a definition for the name but it is derived from a primitive root meaning to attack)

Asher – blessed (Strongs uses the word “happy”)

Issachar – wages (Strongs lists this meaning as He will bring a reward)

Zebulun – dwelling with husband (Strongs uses the word, Habitation)

Joseph – God will add a son (Strongs lists this as “Let him add”)

Benjamin – son of the right hand (Strongs concurs)

Mannasah (Strongs lists this as “causing to forget”)

Ephraim (Strongs lists this as “double fruit”)

Each one of these tribes talks about Jesus in one way or another. In Reuben we “see the Son” or Behold the Son. In Simeon we find God is hearing both His people and His Son and through Christ ourselves as Believers. In Levi we see the attachment of God to His people Israel, to His Son and through His Son to the Believers today. That attachment is in the Atonement. In Judah we see that in Christ God is “celebrated” praised and worshipped. We also see that Jesus is called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, or the King of that Tribe. It is in the Triumphal Entry that we discover the scepter of Judah and out of the mouths of the young as prophesized God was CELEBRATED. In Dan we see the final judge taking His place on the instrument of His own judgment to pay the penalty of His own judgment on the sins of His own people Israel and consequently due to the nature of the payment to all the Elect in all the other ethnic groups and locations of the world who were not Hebrew but pagan. In Naphtali we see Gethsemane where the wrestling of Christ Himself came and He was victorious to resolve to perform the will of The Father in the PRESCRIBED METHOD laid out. In gad we indeed see the troops that came and hauled the Christ off to His preordained place. He was attacked and assaulted repeatedly as well. In Asher we see Christ facing the cross with Joy set before Him, knowing the outcome and the blessing He would both impart unto man and receive unto Himself upon the set day. In Issachar we see Him paying the penalty as sacrifice atonement propitiation and expiation of the sins of His people and all the Elect globally and all who come to believe down the corridors of time as well as all who were in the “bosom of Abraham” prior to the resurrection. We also see the day spent in the tomb and in hell and the resurrection which qualifies the prior death and all its legal ramifications before God and the devil. Without the Resurrection we have not a Savior of power and position to make null the Enemy’s power and claim and enforce the work of the Cross. In Zebulun we see Christ becoming after the resurrection and ascension the Habitation in which we are seated according to the writings of Paul where in this is revealed from God. In Joseph we see God adding His Son in the sonship of the Believer where in it is written in Revelation I will be His God and He shall be MY SON. For we are dead and our lives are hid in Christ. We will be AS HE IS. In Benjamin we see the words of Jesus to the Assembly of the Priesthood, that they would see the Son as the RIGHT HAND OF THE POWER ON HIGH or of the Father. In that these are represented in the Pearl is because each gate speaks of Him who told us He is the Door or Gate of the Sheepfold and no man comes unto the Father save by Him AS GATEWAY. The Pearl then also represents the Earthly Kingdom’s entrance into the Heavenly realm… selah.

Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God the Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple thereof.

Rev 21:23 And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine upon it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb.

Rev 21:24 And the nations shall walk amidst the light thereof: and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it.

Rev 21:25 And the gates thereof shall in no wise be shut by day (for there shall be no night there):

Rev 21:26 and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it:

Rev 21:27 and there shall in no wise enter into it anything unclean, or he that maketh an abomination and a lie: but only they that are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Finally we see that there is no Temple yet God is in the midst as THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. He is the source of illumining which causes the sun and moon to pale to nonexistence so far as the city is concerned. Notice it doesn’t say there is no sun or moon just that they are NOT NEEDED there. Now the reason I put forth that this city is the TEMPLE is because He dwells in a temple NOT MADE WITH HUMAN HANDS. He has lived in us His creation by His Spirit but now, here, we see He has built Himself a house. The nations are both governed and provided for by the will of the LAMB in His city, And although the tribute will pour in, no thing or person or creature that is deemed unworthy to enter shall enter the city. Worth is defined as being of that which is WRITTEN IN THE LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE.

Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Now next to Sardis which is in my humble opinion the saddest letter written this is the scariest letter written. It ties in with the parable of the virgins of whom the bridegroom said I know you not, when they tried to get in after the doors were closed.

They are neither hot or cold but lukewarm. In that region there was an aquaduct system which delivered mineral water, hot mineral water from the springs nearby and a system which delivered ice cold mountain water from the run-off in the mountains. Both systems had their uses and they benefitted everyone around but there was a third system which was what we might call a gray water system for the refuse or the sewage and that was the spill off of the hot and cold into a lukewarm catch all. To be considered lukewarm then was to be considered as defiled. We know that a Holy God does not do… defiled. This is the church that from outward appearances had it all but was deceived. Once again He tells them He knows their “works”. We need to realize that in a very real way this whole series of letters is showing us the judgment or Bema seat of the Believers wherein He who rewards everyone according to their deeds or works is giving clues as to what He is looking for and the reward they will receive who produce that work.

Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Now this however is another problem. It is bad enough that they are neither hot or cold in their “hearts” which is seen in their “works” but they have come to believe themselves spiritually well off when they are not. They are perhaps one of the more prosperous churches and perhaps have come to the same error that is being increasingly seen in American Churches today, prosperity being the measure of the favor or blessing and thus the approval and pleasure of God. Unfortunately this is not exactly Scriptural is it? But here again we will find that the Lord of the Church the Head of the Body pities us. They believe themselves to be well off rich, prosperous, and perhaps “blessed” and NEEDING NOTHING, which right there is Presumptuous. For while yes we need that no one should have to teach us for the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Truth who leads into all truth does TEACH US, we most certainly need His saving and preserving and purifying graces to cause us to be able to inherit that for which the Spirit Himself has sealed us. Moreover they are blissfully unaware that they are not as they perceive themselves but rather wretched and miserable or outside of Grace. Moreover they are impoverished for what will it help you to have gained the whole world and lost your soul. In that those committed to His hand are not lost, still they may have worldly goods and nigh unto nothing of true spiritual grace. They are blind. Blindness of spirit and soul means they are perhaps not walking in the Love of the Father or keeping the Word of His patience. They are missing however something very important. They are naked and naked is NOT the state of the Believer. Every believer is robed in the Righteousness of Christ. It is that which is under the Armor and the Armor which is Christ is also missing. Basically to read this one has to wonder if these people are even saved. But the Grace of God comes and with it, sound counsel.

Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Now lets look at these items. Gold tried in the fire is …. Faith. They were not doing things from the Faith of the Son of God. Next is the White raiment, the robe of righteousness which is receiving the grace of salvation and then eye-salve or the Holy Spirit to open their eyes to The Truth. Whom He loves He chastens, and here is that grace of a Father speaking to a son. He instructs them to REPENT. He tells them He is there knocking and this goes all the way back to Song of Solomon when the bridegroom stood without … knocking. This is oddly enough a portrait of the Bride ensconced in her house self deceived into believing all is well between them and He comes knocking after she has gone to retire for the night. Point, she should have been awaiting Him in her “night”. The Supping is the Communion of the Lord and the Believer. We partake of Christ and are transformed into the image of The Son.

Now to those who do repent and overcome this deplorable condition… Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne… We are said to be seated in heavenly places in Christ already but it is being overcome by the cares and things of the world which causes us to lose that place. But those who repent and “buy” from God these things will indeed be truly seated in Christ.

We see Jesus as the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God…

Being the Amen or final word on all subjects we understand and being the true witness or martyr in the Cross we understand but being the Beginning of the Creation of God is telling is that He is the Word, The Creator God.

He is the finality and Maker of Creation itself and to be rejected by Him is to face the Judge and be forever removed from the Mercy of God the Father Son and Holy Spirit for all eternity.

Now these are the things that the overcomer must face. In the next line of Revelation twenty one we find those things that do NOT inherit and look at what is among them. Fearful, Unbelieving and Liars… Liars we may understand but how often have we failed to take courage and believe?

Rev 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

Rev 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

Rev 3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Rev 3:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

First off we see once again that He sees and He knows everything that goes on. Now He doesn’t mention their patience or the poverty He just says He knows their works. So He sets an open door that no one can shut because they KEPT HIS WORD and did not DENY HIS NAME. Once again this is the third or fourth church who is dealing with these so called Jews or Judaizers perhaps, who are of this synagogue of Satan. However in this case Jesus Himself will MAKE them come worship at the feet of the this church. He will do this so that they know He has loved them. Now He makes mention that they KEPT THE WORD OF HIS PATIENCE, so He keeps them from the “hour of temptation”. Of the Hour of Temptation there is only one New Testament reference and this is it. However in the Old Testament Deut 4:34 talks about the Plagues as being the Temptation of Egypt. Now commentators Jaimeson, Faucett and Brown, Gill, The Geneva Bible and Clarke all seem to agree that this is that time of the Great Tribulation of which Revelation speaks. However Jaimeson Faucett and Brown tell us that this not an exemption but a keeping GRACE. They will be kept IN IT or delivered from it while they are in it. In other words they will find themselves living through it and not suffering from certain aspects of it as it pertains to judgment. Why? Because they have KEPT HIS WORD and NOT DENIED HIM.

They are encouraged to HOLD FAST what they have and NOT ALLOW anyone to TAKE THEIR CROWN. In other words keep on keeping the Word of His patience and not denying but rather confessing Him and doing the works they are doing, which apparently please Him and now to the overcomer who do this by His grace; Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

To be a pillar in the temple and never leave His sight with the name of God and the city of God written on them, and His NEW NAME. Exactly what this means or how this looks is not known for in this Earthly realm we are still fairly mentally blinded to the manner in which Heaven conducts its affairs and the sight of it all. Because this is most pleasing to God this particular overcomer who keeps the Word of His patience and confesses Him is someone He delights in and would have with Him always. What a joy to always behold Him, and thus minister to Him.

Jesus is seen here as ; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;… The Holy and True one is the Victor Victorious astride the White Horse covered in the blood of His enemies. He who owns the Key of David or the sure mercies of David in covenant of no longer rejecting but correcting … Kings. He is seen as the one who determines outcomes and destinies and rules over all time and space who is apart from everything and who is TRUTH… the Truth.

Rev 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

Rev 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Rev 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Rev 3:6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

This is perhaps the saddest letter John ever wrote. Jesus tells them He knows their works and that they “have a name” and live and are dead. Now no other church has a “name”, in fact having a name may be seen as being OF the world. But it is the next statement that is perplexing. That you live and are dead, is an oxymoron. But the Key to it is found in the next sentence. Jesus has not found their works Perfect, before God, and what is remaining, needs strengthening because they are perishing as Body of Believers. Moreover He tells them to remember HOW they received and heard and hold fast to it and repent. How did the Believers receive? They received by the Holy Spirit who had apparently been quieted or quenched or just not paid heed to. Moreover the Apostles teaching was a means to “hear”, so this church has “something else” going on. They were also not “watching” for His return, so comes the warning that was given in the Gospels. Seeing as by this time the other Gospels including perhaps that of the John the Beloved’s were in circulation and the teachings of James Peter and Paul were more widely around, the warnings of Jesus to the servants would have been known to this church.

Mat 24:45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

Mat 24:46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

Mat 24:47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

Mat 24:48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

Mat 24:49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

Mat 24:50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

Mat 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

You see when Jesus talks about knowing the works and that they are not perfect before God He is alluding to their service to Him. It is a sort of “weighed, weighed, found wanting” deal. But you see this was an attitude that this church’s heart had and it killed them. But there is always mercy given. If they strengthened what remained and watched they might be alright. Also, there is always a remnant. There were those who had not “sullied” themselves but were diligent. These walk in white. The reward, the only reward is to walk in white and not have their names blotted out of the Book of Life. They are also confessed before the Father. Now here is the thing. The lesson of this church is that to live we must be diligent in watching and obedient in our lives to God as His servants.

The Revelation here is simple, Jesus Lord of the Church. These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars;.

Rev 2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;

Rev 2:19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.

Rev 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

Rev 2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

Rev 2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

Rev 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

Rev 2:24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.

Rev 2:25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Rev 2:28 And I will give him the morning star.

Rev 2:29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Here this church does all these works and they are increasingly improving. But in this place there is this woman…

Rev 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

Rev 2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

Rev 2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

Rev 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

Now there is a finality to this. Everyone involved with this woman and her doctrine will be destroyed. Because this church was not paying attention and throwing out the evil in the midst it is indicted. But listen now to what He says about the rest.

Rev 2:24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.

Rev 2:25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

And the overcomer …

Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Rev 2:28 And I will give him the morning star.

There are two things here, overcoming and “keeping His works to the end”. His works are those things done in the Love of God and the Faith of the Son of God. James tells us what pure religion and un defiled is before God. Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Now we might not be able to be going and doing visitation ministries but as often as people come across the path of our lives which have a need God enables us to meet, we should not turn them away. However the second part is a must, keeping ourselves “unspotted” from the world. In Galatians there is a “crucifixion” of not knowing, boasting or glorying in anything but the Cross by which we are CRUCIFIED to the world and the world is CRUCIFIED to us. We are to live in the world but not “of the world”. That is to say we don’t live necessarily according to the traditions and customs of the cultures of those around us or even according to our familial heritages which have cultures attached to them. No indeed we are “set apart” in many ways. In fact if you care to understand this, Christ IS our culture as well as our heritage.

But look at the reward. The overcomer will rule the nations with a rod of iron as the vessels of a potter the nations will be broken under the iron rod rules of these overcomers, to shivers or shards. The most important clause in the sentence is the last one; EVEN AS I RECEIVED OF MY FATHER. Yes this is a familiar statement because Jesus Overcame the world and authority was given Him over the nations and the Rod of Iron was given Him to demolish Nations like a potter does unsuitable or damaged pots. This Iron Rod may be seen by those it destroys to be Despotic and to the disobedient it is. But to those who Love the Lord and are the called according to His plan the Rod is there but it doesn’t break anything. It is Benevolent. When you have finally died in death you have overcome. We are dead and our lives hidden in Christ.

But what Revelation do we see here? In the previous church that had in it those who propagated error, He was actively the Judge or the One who wars against His enemies. In this case we have a church which is permitting error to live in the midst and there is a shift in the Revelation. These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;… This is none other than the Revelation of the King. This is Suzerain authority and RAW POWER folks. He will put an end to His opposition. In out mortal estate we cannot fathom a Being whose eyes either have the intensity of fire and whose skin is like fine brass, or rather like burnished fine brass, and I say this because this description is seen in chapter one.

Rev 1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

We cannot conceive of the composition of such a Being who is capable of Creation from nothing. This is the Revelation given here.